Implement for cleaning the walls of a swimming pool



Oct. 14, 1969 I A. s. WRIGHT 3,471,334

IHPLEMENT FOR CLEANING THE WALLS OF A SWIMMING POOL Filed Dec. 7. 1967 INVENTOI? v ALFRED S. WRIGHT FIG.3 WNW 3,471,884 LVIPLEMENT FOR CLEANING THE WALLS OF A SWIMMING POOL Alfred S. Wright, 27 Lorelei Lane, Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 Filed Dec. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 688,892 Int. Cl. A47] 11/38 US. C]. 15-28 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An implement for cleaning the walls of a swimming pool, especially the wall areas above the water level, which is powered by the water recirculation system with which swimming pools are usually provided and which comprises a conduit in the form of an inverted L having an elongated vertically disposed branch and joined to the upper end thereof a horizontally disposed branch, a shaft rotatably supported within said horizontal branch with one end thereof protruding through the elbow joining said branches, a helical impeller vane provided along said shaft within said horizontal conduit branch, a disc secured to the protruding end of said shaft, brush elements mounted upon said disc on the outer surface thereof, means on the open end of said horizontal conduit branch for connecting said conduit to the suction side of the recirculation line of the swimming pool, and a handle bar rigidly secured to said conduit and extending away therefrom on the side opposite to the side of said vertical branch thereof, for guiding the implement along the walls of the pool, with said vertical conduit branch dipped into the water of the pool.

The present invention relates to the problem of cleaning the walls of swimming pools. Especially the areas of the pool walls directly above the water level collect dirt and grime which adhere stubborny and which can only be removed by hard scrubbing. To do this manually is a most arduous task that has to be performed in an uncomfortable, downwardly bent position; and to employ power driven brushes requires the use of a special motor and thus increases greatly the cost of the pool cleaners equipment and also the weight of the tools which he must carry from pool to pool.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power driven implement which eases the task of cleaning the walls of swimming pools, and whose operation does not require a special motor.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a simple, light, and effective implement of the type referred to, that is especially adapted for cleaning the areas of the swimming pool walls directly above the water line and which may be driven by the water recirculation system with which swimming pools are usually equipped.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein FIGURE 1 is a schematic cross section of a swimming pool with its water recirculation system, and with the implement of my invention shown in operating position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail of FIGURE 1 shownited States Patent 3,471,884 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 ing a fragmentary vertical, axial section through the implement of my invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated with said line.

Having first reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the implement of my invention comprises a pipe or conduit 10 in the form of an inverted L having a downwardly extending elongated vertical branch or section 12 and a shorter horizontal branch or section 14. A shaft or spindle 16 is rotatably supported within the horizontal branch 14 coaxially therewith in two axially spaced bearings 18 and 20 in such a manner that the flow of fluid through said branch is not obstructed. For this purpose the bearings 18 and 20 may be supported from the inner surface of pipe branch 14 by angularly spaced radially extending spokes or struts 22 as best shown in FIGURE 3. Within the horizontal conduit branch 14 the shaft 16 is provided with a helical impeller vane 24. One end of shaft 16 protrudes through a suitable bearing 26 provided in the elbow 28 which joins the two pipe branches 12 and 14, to the outside where it carries firmly secured thereto a vertically disposed circular disc 28 provided with outwardly directed brush elements 30. The elbow area of conduit 10 is rigidly held in a dome-shaped housing 32 from which the conduit branches 12 and 14 protrude and which covers but is axially spaced from the inner surface of the brush disc 28. A handle bar 34 is rigidly secured to an upper portion of said housing and projects upwardly therefrom, i.e. in a direction opposite to vertical conduit branch 12. The open end of the horizontal conduit branch 14 is provided with suitable means, such as external screw threads indicated at 36 in FIGURE 2, for connecting it to a hose 38.

In practical use, the open end of the horizontal conduit branch 14 is connected by means of a flexible hose 38 to one of the intake openings 39 of the recirculation system 40 of the pool to be cleaned; and the pump 42 of the system (FIGURE 1) is set into motion. The implement is gripped by the handle bar 34, the vertical conduit branch 12 is dipped into the pool, and the rotary brush 28/30 is applied to the wall areas to be cleaned. As the pump 42 applies suction to the conduit 10, the water rushing from the pool through the vertical conduit branch 12 and the elbow 28 into the horizontal conduit branch 14 impinges upon the impeller vane 24 and applies a strong torque to shaft 16 which turns the rotary brush 28/30. As the brush rotates, the operator guides it by means of the handle bar 34 along the areas of the pool wall which require cleaning. Due to the presence of the elongated vertical conduit branch 12 the implement of my invention may effectively be applied to all areas of the pool walls whether they are situated below or above the water level; i.e. the implement will remain in operation even when the brush is lifted above the Water level to be applied to those areas of the pool Walls which are most troublesome to clean (FIGURES 1 and 2).

The implement of my invention is of exceedingly simple construction, it is therefore light in weight and easy to carry. It is inexpensive; and it may effectively be applied to all areas of the pool walls, especially those above the water level where films of grime and dirt form most readily and tend to adhere most stubbornly.

While I have explained my invention with the aid of a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructional details shown and described by way of example which may be departed from without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An implement for cleaning the walls of swimming pools comprising a conduit having an elongated vertically disposed section and at the upper end thereof a shorter horizontally disposed section, a shaft rotatably supported within said horizontal section with one end thereof arranged to protrude through the elbow joining said sections, fluid-flow-responsive impeller moans provided on said shaft within said horizontal conduit section, a disk secured to the protruding end of said shaft, brush elements mounted on said disk, means on the open end of said horizontal conduit section for securing said conduit section to a hose, and a handle bar in rigid connection with said conduit in the vicinity of the elbowthereof and extending in a direction opposite to said elongated vertical section thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,308 3/1921 MacRae 1529 1,392,623 10/1921 Cheatham 15--29 1,649,677 11/1927 Ferrari 1529 0 2,682,675 7/1954 Prucha 15-29 EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

